Cytokine response is lower after lung volume reduction through bilateral thoracoscopy versus sternotomy

Lung volume reduction surgery performed through bilateral video-assisted thoracoscopy (BVATS) was associated in the National Emphysema Treatment Trial with a statistically significant reduction in intensive care unit days, failure to wean, hospital stay, and cost, and earlier recovery compared with median sternotomy. Studies comparing other minimally invasive techniques with "open" procedures, including pulmonary lobectomy, have demonstrated reduced serum proinflammatory mediators postoperatively. We measured these levels after lung volume reduction surgery through BVATS and sternotomy.

Serum cytokine levels were measured by radioimmunoassay in 9 consecutive, steroid-free patients undergoing sternotomy and lung volume reduction surgery and 6 undergoing BVATS and lung volume reduction surgery. The groups were not statistically different with respect to age, partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide, percent forced expiratory volume in 1 second, percent residual volume, percent total lung capacity, diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide, 6-minute walk, or apical perfusion fraction. Proinflammatory interleukin 6 and interleukin 8 and antiinflammatory interleukin 10 were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively on days 1, 4, and 5. Clinical data were prospectively collected.

There were no major postoperative complications or deaths. Interleukin 6 levels were lower in the BVATS than the sternotomy group (p = 0.016 by repeated measures analysis of variance). Interleukin 8 levels were lower in the BVATS group at most postoperative time points, but there were no significant differences in interleukin 8 or interleukin 10 levels between the sternotomy and BVATS groups at any individual time point or by analysis of variance.

Use of a BVATS approach to lung volume reduction surgery is associated with reduced postoperative release of proinflammatory cytokines compared with a sternotomy approach. This may account for the reduction in recovery time and some measures of postoperative morbidity seen with the BVATS approach.